Various solutions, such as culture media, buffers, reagents, and other biological materials are used extensively in research and development. Often, the solutions are used in creating vaccines, producing and purifying proteins, and developing other biologics. Many solutions include precise compositions, are frequently required to be pure and sterile, and may be highly regulated. As such, manufacturing of these solutions is expensive and often requires specialized equipment.
Due to the cost of creating, operating, and maintaining the systems used in the manufacture of many solutions, companies frequently purchase the solutions from a manufacturer in their final form. Typically, manufacturers produce master batches of the solution in large quantities, then transfer the solution from the master batches into smaller individual containers for shipping. Dynamic forces experienced during shipping may compromise the integrity of currently available mixing containers, such as mixing bags. As such, the solution is usually shipped in individual transportation containers.
During shipping, or storage of the solution after shipping, the solution may settle in the transportation containers. The settled solution requires mixing prior to use, and may settle in a manner that cannot be mixed, thus resulting in a loss of material. The transportation containers are usually non-mixing, such that, prior to use, the solution must be transferred from the transportation container into a mixing container at an end-user facility. Transferring the solution from the transportation container to the mixing container increases a risk of contamination, as well as preparation time prior to use and loss of material. Additionally, the use of multiple containers for a single solution increases an overall cost of the solution.
A mixing system, mixing container, and mixing method that show one or more improvements in comparison to the prior art would be desirable in the art.